Sol 6.1

  1. خَليلَيَّ غُضّا ساعَةً وَاِرحَلا بَردا

    وَزورا فَتىً يَكفيكُما حَسَباً إِدّا

    My two friends, pause a while and depart in the cool,

    And visit a youth whose mighty lineage suffices you both:

  2. سَفيحَ بنَ عَمرو لا بَل وَليدُهُ

    وَإِن ذُكِرَ المَعروفُ أَصغى لَهُ خَدّا

    Safīḥ son of ʿAmr—no, rather his offspring.

    And when kindness is mentioned, he inclines his cheek toward it.

  3. أَرى الهَمَّ قَد أَلقى عَلَيَّ جِرانَهُ

    حَديثاً وَبَعضُ الهَمِّ يَنتَهِكُ الجَلدا

    I see care has laid its neck upon me

    Of late—and some care wears away fortitude.

  4. فَزورا سَفيحاً أَو أَشيرا بِمِثلِهِ

    وَأَنّى بِأَمثالِ الفُراتِ إِذا مَدّا

    So visit Safīḥ, or point out his like.

    And where are the likes of the Euphrates when it swells?

  5. دَعاسِبُهُ أَودُ الجِيادِ عَلى الوَجا

    وَهَزَّ المَنايا في مَناصِلِهِ رُبدا

    His sturdy mounts, the burden of noble steeds despite sore hooves [wording unclear].

    And he brandished dusky deaths within his blades.

  6. فَلَم يَبقَ مِمَّن يَشتَري الحَمدَ بِالنَدى

    خَلا ما سَفيحٍ لا رَأَينا لَهُ فَقدا

    None remained of those who buy praise with generosity,

    Except Safīḥ—may we never witness his loss.

  7. إِذا لَبِسَ الماذِيَّ يَومَ كَريهَةٍ

    وَشَمَّرَ يَحدو الخَيلَ أَو قادَها جُردا

    When he dons fine mail on a day of battle,

    And girds himself, urging the horses onward or leading them sleek-coated,

  8. رَأَيتَ إِباءَ المُلكِ فَوقَ جَبينِهِ

    يَهُزُّ المَنايا وَالهِرَقلِيَّةَ النَقدا

    You see the unbending pride of kingship above his brow.

    He brandishes death and ready Heraclian coin.

  9. يَهُزُّ يَداً لِلحَمدِ طالَت وَهَزَّهُ

    نَدىً مِثلُ طَيّارِ الفُراتِ إِذا جَدّا

    He waves a hand grown long for praise, and he is stirred

    By bounty like the Euphrates' rushing flood when it runs strong.

  10. جَزى اللَهُ عَن قَومي سَفيحاً كَرامَةً

    وَعَن رَجُلٍ يُهدي لَهُ الحَمدَ وَالوُدّا

    May God reward Safīḥ with honor on behalf of my people,

    And on behalf of a man who offers him praise and affection.

  11. إِذا ما سَفيحٌ راحَ في المُلكِ وَاِغتَدى

    جَرَت ذَهَباً كَفّاهُ لِلقَومِ أَو جَدّا

    Whenever Safīḥ goes forth in kingship, evening and morning,

    His two palms flow with gold for the people—or good fortune.

  12. طَلوعٌ بِحاجاتِ الوُفودِ وَرُبَّما

    تَجاسَرَ بِالكُبرى فَأَورى بِها زَندا

    He rises to meet the needs of delegations, and sometimes

    Boldly takes on the greatest task and with it kindles a fire-stick.

  13. وَرَكّابُ أَعوادِ المَنابِرِ لا يَني

    خَليفَةَ مُلكٍ لِلصَّعاليكِ أَو حَدّا

    And he repeatedly mounts the wooden pulpits, never flagging,

    A king's deputy for the destitute—or a barrier.

  14. بِنا حاجَةٌ أَنتَ اِبنُ عَمروٍ طَبيبُها

    فَأَنصِف أَخاً أَصفاكَ أَشعارَهُ رِفدا

    We have a need; you, son of ʿAmr, are its physician.

    So deal fairly with a brother who has devoted his poems to you as a gift.

  15. خُلِقتَ سَماءً لِلعُفاةِ غَزيرَةً

    وَمِفتاحَ أَبوابِ المُهِمِّ إِذا اِمتَدّا

    You were created a rain-rich sky for seekers of bounty,

    And a key to the doors of pressing need when it drags on.

  16. وَكَوكَبِ قَومٍ كانَ نَحساً عَلَيهِمُ

    زَماناً فَلَمّا قُمتَ أَطلَعتَهُ سَعدا

    And many a people's star had been ill-omened for them

    For a time; when you arose, you made it rise auspicious.

  17. وَخُطَّةِ حَزمٍ قَد كَشَفتَ بِها الرَدى

    وَرَأسِ رَئيسٍ قَد بَعَثتَ بِهِ وَفدا

    And many a resolute plan with which you averted death,

    And many a chieftain's head you sent with a delegation.

  18. وَأَنتَ اِمرُؤٌ مِن وائِلٍ وَسَطَ النَدى

    كَفَيتَ بِهِ مَن كانَ نائِلُهُ جَعدا

    And you are a man of Wāʾil, at generosity's very heart;

    With it you have spared us those whose giving was meager.

  19. رَأَيتُكَ تَنوي الهِندَ بِالبيضِ وَالقَنا

    وَبِالخَيلِ تَسمو في أَعِنَّتِها جُردا

    I saw you setting your sights on India with bright blades and spears,

    And with sleek horses rearing against their reins.

  20. فَسِر مُصحَباً بِالنَصرِ في مُحزَئِلَّةٍ

    تَهُزُّ القَنا حَتّى تَروعَ بِها الهِندا

    So march, attended by victory, amid a massed host,

    Brandishing spears until you terrify India with them,

  21. وَحَتّى تَضُمَّ الساحِلَينَ كِلَيهِما

    سَبِيّاً كَشاءِ العيدِ أَصبَحَ مُنتَدّا

    And until you take both coasts, the two together,

    As captives, like feast-day sheep now gathered together.

  22. فَتى البَأسِ لا يَلقاهُ إِلاّ مَعَ النَدى

    مُهيناً لِحُرِّ المالِ أَو ضارِباً كَردا

    A youth of valor, never met save in generosity's company,

    Holding choice wealth cheap, or striking a neck.

  23. أَقولُ وَقَد راحَ اللِواءُ لِعامِرٍ

    وَعَبدٍ قِفا نَعهَد إِلى مَلِكٍ عَهدا

    I say to ʿĀmir, as the banner moves off,

    And ʿAbd: Halt, you two; let us entrust a charge to a king.

  24. لَعَلَّ الَّتي قُلِّدتَها قَرمَ وائِلٍ

    يَجودُ لَنا مِن سَيبِهِ نَفلاً يُهدى

    Perhaps what was entrusted to you, O champion of Wāʾil,

    Will grant us from its bounty a gift to be offered.

  25. قَعيدَكَ أَن يَنسى اِمرُؤٌ أَنتَ هَمُّهُ

    تَلالا عَلَيهِ الهَمُّ لا يَبرَحُ الخَلدا

    I adjure you: can a man forget, when you are his concern?

    Care gleams over him, never leaving his mind.